Free-flow electrophoresis under microgravity: evidence for enhanced resolution of cell separation.
A mixture of fixed rabbit, guinea pig and rat erythrocytes, suspended in a relatively conductive solution, was separated by means of continuous free flow electrophoresis (CFFE) under 1 g- and microgram- conditions using a specially designed electrophoretic module. Short duration microgram conditions were realized on board a sounding rocket. Due to the energy input and the associated thermal convection a separation of the three differently charged cell types in distinct peaks was not possible under 1 g-conditions as shown by reference experiments on the ground before launch. In contrast to the poor resolution under 1 g-conditions, clear separation of the cell mixture could be recorded after lift-off of the rocket under microgram-conditions. Repeated measurements demonstrated that the separation profile was completely stable during the entire microgram-phase of about 6 min. Since the CFFE experiment in space was an exact replica of the ground reference experiments, the results demonstrated unambiguously the potential of CFFE for cell separation under microgram-conditions in media of high ionic strength.
Hannig
K
K
Institut für Biotechnologie, Universität Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Kowalski
M
M
Klöck
G
G
Zimmermann
U
U
Mang
V
V
D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D004586:Electrophoresis; D004912:Erythrocytes; D006112:Gravitation; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats